CPI wants govt to ban forward trading of grain

The CPI today demanded a ban on forward trading in grain, saying that it leads to hoarding.

Terming the government's decision to import grain and sugar to check rise in prices as "too little, if not too late", CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan said the "wrong market-oriented" policies were responsible for the country going back to the days of dependence on grain imports.

The governemnt should go for procurement from farmers and ensuring them remunerative prices rather than relying on imports, including by private traders, he said.